Archive for the ‘rolling stones’ tag

When deciding where in the world (literally) I wanted to go for my MKTG Rewards trip, I came up with a few ideals:

Must be one of the furthest countries possible

With a captivating history and super cool culture

That offers tons of adventuresome activity yet an abundance of untouched nature and breathtaking scenery

Where we can discover awesome food, drink some of the world’s best wine, meet the nicest people and have the opportunity to go to a legendary concert

And a beach…there’s gotta be a beach.

Surely these ridiculously high expectations could only be met in a fantasy country?! Or perhaps, a country that produced one of the most successful fantasy film series of all time…

Cue New Zealand.

After sharing my ambition with Marlena Edwards, she said, “Girl, if you’re going all the way to New Zealand you HAVE to go to Fiji!!”

Done. Beach

My boyfriend, Dave, and I started our journey in a very fitting way – we sat back, relaxed and watched The Most Epic Safety Video Ever Made on our Air New Zealand flight to Queenstown. Most MKTGers have had their fair share of airplane safety but this one is worth watching, despite the fact that at the end of the video you won’t take off for vacation.

After 22 long hours of travel we landed on the south island and made our way to an Airbnb apartment on the edge of a cliff, overlooking snowcapped mountains and turquoise-blue water. Our first activity included a visit to a cozy vineyard, a four-course lunch and A LOT of wine – perfect way to recover from jetlag. We explored Queenstown and hit the famed Fergburger, which nearly put us into food comas before jumping in our car for a road-trip.

Driving along the coast of New Zealand was one of my favorite parts of the trip. The country’s vistas were spectacular (it was hard not to drive off the road while being distracted by the beauty!) We made it to our kayak tour of Milford Sound, which is a fiord in the south island. Officially, a fiord is a long, narrow inlet with steep cliffs created by glacial erosion. Unofficially, it’s really cold(!) and one of the most remarkable sights I’ve ever experienced. With waterfalls, mountains and adorable little penguins, Dave and I were in awe as we kayaked through the area. After an overnight cruise, we hiked our way north and made the trek back towards Queenstown.

How did we top such an awesome adventure to end the Queenstown segment of the trip? Jump off a bridge, of course! Before we could change our minds, Dave and I found ourselves clipped into individual bungees on the Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge. 43 meters and a 4-second free-fall later (it felt like an eternity), we could say that we lived through the scariest adrenaline rush ever! The video still makes my stomach flip:

Auckland, on the north island, is the metropolitan area of New Zealand so after getting a taste of kiwi city life, we boarded a ferry and headed to the most popular holiday destination of locals, Waiheke Island. Here we zip-lined our way around the beautiful, warm environment and spent the remainder of the day exploring vineyards, known for their Bordeaux wine-type grapes.

The Coromandel Peninsula was the next stop on our itinerary. Dave and I took a boat to a bus to a beach where we discovered the Coromandel’s hot springs. Just a few feet from the chilly ocean water, we dug a large hole in the sand and relaxed in the thermal water. We continued on to Cathedral Cove for a hike down to a beach with phenomenal rock formations.

How did we top such thrills and gorgeous sights to end the Auckland segment of the trip? A Rolling Stones concert, of course! Dave and I were lucky enough to score tickets to The Stones’ last stop on their tour. It was an epic way to end our time spent in New Zealand.

Thanks to Marlena’s advice, we were able to recover from the boats, hikes, bridges, drives and wine while laying on a white-sand beach at the Lomani Resort on the Mamanuca group of islands in Fiji. Snorkeling, paddle boarding and hammock-ing (with Pina Coladas) was how we spent these blissful days. The Fijian people are so welcoming and the serene atmosphere felt as if it were a dream.

So, how do we top the most epic vacation ever taken? Not sure it’s possible, but we are up for the challenge! Thank you, MKTG, for providing the best reward possible: an unforgettable experience.

French animator Maxime Luere crafts the story of one fictional guy’s romantic ups and downs – from cute girls and bad breakups to true love and marriage – all told via his Facebook page. A sweet, moving tale of love that is oddly told to the backdrop of the Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black,” a song about death, grief and suicidal thoughts. Anti-social network, anyone?